Shanmar Duck

Shanma Duck

　　Shanmar Duck

　　Breed Description

　　Origin and Distribution: Also known as Xinling Duck. It is a small-sized egg-laying breed. Primarily produced in Hubang Township, Longyan County, Fujian Province, and also found in the Longyan region. The Shanma Duck may have been introduced to the area from Jiangxi along with migrant settlers, then gradually developed through natural selection in the mountainous ecological environment and long-term selective breeding by local people, becoming an egg-laying breed that is adept at running, has strong foraging ability, and is well-suited to free-range feeding in terraced fields. Currently, there is a parent stock farm established in Longyan City, Fujian Province.

　　External Features: Male ducks have medium-sized heads with large, round eyes. Their necks are slender and elegant, their chests relatively shallow, backs slightly narrow, and abdomens flat, giving them a rectangular body shape. Their beaks are bluish-yellow or grayish-black; irises are black. The feathers on the head and upper neck are peacock green and glossy, with a white neck ring (some males lack this); the forechest feathers are reddish-brown; abdominal feathers are pure white; feathers from the upper back to the waist are grayish-brown, and flight feathers are mostly black except for 2–3 white ones interspersed; tail feathers and sex feathers are entirely black. Female ducks come in light mottled, brown mottled, and mixed mottled color varieties. Light mottled Shanma Ducks have overall lighter feather coloring, with a vertical black stripe around each feather shaft. Brown mottled Shanma Ducks have an overall pale yellow feather color with feather shaft patterns identical to those of the light mottled variety; feathers from the top of the head through the nape of the neck to the waist are dark brown, and there is a white line above the eye resembling a white eyebrow. Mixed mottled Shanma Ducks have irregular feather coloring, generally a mix of light and brown mottled. Their shanks and webs are orange-red, and toes are black.

　　Breed Performance:

　　① Growth Rate and Meat Production Performance Average Weight: At birth 45g; 30 days old—male ducks 473g, female ducks 507g; 60 days old—male ducks 1013g, female ducks 977g; 90 days old—male ducks 1317g, female ducks 1328g; 120 days old—male ducks 1506g, female ducks 1578g. For first-laying female ducks, average semi-eviscerated slaughter rate is 72.00%, and average fully eviscerated slaughter rate is 70.30%.

　　② Egg Production and Reproduction Performance Female ducks begin laying eggs at an average age of 100 days. Average annual egg production is 243 eggs, with highs up to 280 eggs, and average egg weight is 55g. Average egg shape index is 1.32. Male ducks reach sexual maturity at 110 days. Breeding ratio of male to female ducks is 1:25. Average fertility rate of breeding eggs is 75%, and average hatching rate of fertile eggs is 90%. Male ducks have a usage lifespan of 1 year, while female ducks have 2–3 years.

　　Production Performance Start laying eggs between 110–130 days of age. Average annual egg production is 299 eggs, with average egg weight of 66.6g. Adult body weight is 1.4–1.6kg. Male-to-female ratio is 1:(20–25). Male ducks have a usage lifespan of 1 year, and female ducks 2–3 years.